Fatima Payman (WA, Australia's Voice) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in support of the National Health Amendment (Cheaper Medicines) Bill 2025. From 1 January 2026, the cost of buying PBS approved medicines will fall from $31.60 to $25. This is definitely a welcome change and a genuine relief for millions of Australians who rely on PBS every single day, but we must make one thing clear. Affordability is not just a nice policy; it is a matter of health and survival. Data from the ABS in 2023-2024, found that eight per cent of Australians delayed or did not get prescription medication when needed because of cost. For women and young people, those rates were higher at nine per cent and 12 per cent respectively. That is one in ten women and more than one in ten young Australians who are forced to go without treatment that doctors prescribed. That is why I'm heartened by the bipartisan support for the PBS, particularly as US pharmaceutical companies and President Trump threaten tariffs on Australian medicines. Tariffs are not in Australia's interests, and we must resist any push that would undermine the PBS. We do not want to go down the path of the American healthcare system, where as many as 550,000 people a year file for bankruptcy due to medical debt. For me, the PBS is non-negotiable.

For many Australians, the problem is not just the price of medicines but also whether they can access those medicines at all. According to the TGA's medicine shortage reports database, as many as 373 medicines were in shortage in August this year—diabetes treatment and medicines for menopause, rheumatic fever and breast cancer. These life-saving and life-changing drugs have been among those unavailable. When shortages occur, the minister can approve alternatives, but that often creates a rush on the substitutes and pushes the pressure down the line.

These shortages are not random; they stem from fragile supply chains. A study by the Institute for Integrated Economic Research found that Australia imports more than 90 per cent of its medicines. That is a vulnerability we cannot afford. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has proposed greater investment in domestic production to shore up supply. I support the call, and I urge the government to act. I foreshadow my second reading amendment, as circulated on sheet 3385, which deals with this very issue.

I also want to acknowledge the positive steps taken on 30-day and 60-day prescriptions. Since 2022, hundreds of medicines have been made eligible for 60-day scripts. This means fewer trips to the pharmacy and half the cost for many households. The final stage of this reform rolled out in September last year, adding another 100 medicines to the list. If there is scope to expand this program further, I strongly encourage the government to do so. However, we must also be clear-eyed about the challenges.

After speaking with local pharmacists in WA, I know that the government has been racing to the bottom on medicines prices without addressing systemic issues within the industry. Doctors are not always aware of which medicines are out of stock, so patients leave with prescriptions they cannot fill at pharmacies. They are then often forced to return to the doctor—often at extra out-of-pocket costs—just to find another treatment plan. If a cheaper generic is unavailable, patients are forced to pay surcharges for premium brands through no fault of their own. Pharmacies, meanwhile, have been stock-piling medicines to meet the demand from the 60-day scripts, which, in turn, worsens the shortages.

We also see absurdities in the system. Spren is available under the PBS for Closing the Gap customers, but no other brands of low-dose aspirin are covered. When Spren goes out of stock, patients are left stranded. Wholesale prices for some antibiotics can be just a couple of dollars, but, if dispensed as a private script, they cannot be counted towards the PBS safety net. Pharmacists also lack the authority to make sensible substitutions. For example, the medicine called Rosuzet—which is a combination of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe—is out of stock. Both medicines are sold separately under different brands, yet pharmacists must chase doctors for a new script before they can supply them separately. That wastes everyone's time. The Pharmacy Guild is right to push for reforms on this. Finally, let's consider Minipress, which is a drug for hypertension, enlarged prostates and Raynaud's disease. It has been in a long-term shortage since July. It is even a medicine eligible for 60-day scripts, meaning patients may face even greater stress if they cannot access it in time.

There is no question that this bill is a step in the right direction. Reducing the costs of medicines will make a real difference in everyday Australians' lives, but the cost is only one piece of the puzzle. Unless we address the systemic supply issues in our pharmaceutical system, Australians will continue to pay the price—either at the counter or in their health. I commend the bill to the Senate.